Hello hello and hello. We know you're all eagerly awaiting Anthony's official list week, which will be commencing soon. In the meantime, we thought it would be fun to let you know where the writers at TheNeedleDrop.com fall on the year in music. And so, we commence TND Writers List Week.

Well, List Two Days, anyway.

First off is our Top 20 Songs of 2025, which you can find below (followed by a playlist of all the songs), ranked from 20 to 1. Many of our writers here contributed their own personal lists – the arduous process of killing your darlings, catching up on missed records, and poring over a year of music that left all of us with much to consider.

We are music lovers, and we welcomed the opportunity to share with you where we fall, as a team, in terms of the tricky (and somewhat arbitrary) process of ranking 2025 in music. And so, here we go...

First, a note —

We want to reiterate and make abundantly clear that our lists – including tomorrow's Albums list – are in no way representative of Anthony's opinions. They do not reflect the direction his lists may take, and were not compiled with any back and forth with him. These are OUR lists – just for funsies.

Ok! And without further ado, let's get into it...

#20. Quadeca – "GODSTAINED"

Quad did. Again.

On his first single from the nautical Vanisher, Horizon Scraper, Quadeca’s “GODSTAINED” is a breezy piece of indie folk with an ornate arrangement. The instrumentation is truly a work of art. For examples, just take your pick: the plucky guitars, Olēka’s ethereal flute performance, or the elevating (but subtle) percussion. It also has an undeniable chorus. Quadeca sings “I thought you knew” with so much passion, it’ll have you feeling like, “I guess I didn’t.” With an energetic sprint capping off the last act of the song, Quadeca fully immerses the listener in beautiful waters. – Aaron Cousin

#19. Perfume Genius – "It's a Mirror"

There’s an unflinching, matter-of-fact vulnerability that “It’s A Mirror” uniquely conveys. Perfume Genius (real name Mike Hadreas) asks questions he’ll never know the answers to as the floor beneath him tauntingly creaks. Hefty doses of paranoia (“What do I get out of being established? / I still run and hide when a man's at the door”), heartbreak (“Can I move on without knowing specifics / While memories hum like a hive shaken out?”), and agoraphobia (“Polishing boots down a line in the basement / When I should be riding outside on my own”) are delivered through sticky, slinking melodies and breathtaking instrumental swells – truly the full package. – Leah Weinstein

#18. Big Thief – "Grandmother"

Double Infinity felt like a transitional album for Big Thief, recalibrating as a trio after parting ways with their bassist last year. Having the distinction of being the first song Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, and James Krivchenia have ever (!) written as a unit, “Grandmother” is both deeply weird and gorgeously consoling, making the most of guest vocalist Laraaji who chants and wails in the depths of the mix. – Alan Pedder

#17. billy woods – "Waterproof Mascara"

billy woods's “Waterproof Mascara” induces the same pit-in-the-stomach terror as being five years old and walking into an unlit hallway at night, except woods taps into a more existential type of horror. He captures the dread that often accompanies grief as we realize we all will pass one day, our marks on the world being the blisters and scars we leave on others. In his case, he mines it from the death of a father he barely knew, and turns it into nightmare fuel. – Colin Dempsey

#16. Nilüfer Yanya – "Cold Heart"

Even on her intimate cuts, the UK’s Nilüfer Yanya remains as demanding as ever. With almost shrill, plinking strings, and relatively lofi drums backing her up, “Cold Heart” is a fittingly frigid cut that came so soon after a 2024 full-length LP, you’d have no idea it she pieced together immediately following a tour, what with how pristinely produced it is despite the sparse instrumentation. This song exists as proof that Yanya’s sound thrives in all environments, especially the bitter cold. – Thomas Stremfel

#15. Ichiko Aoba – "FLAG"

With a waveform resembling the graceful arch of a whale, Ichiko Aoba’s “FLAG” doesn’t so much grab your attention as gently lap at your heart, tugging softly at its corners like a sentimental tide. “Is it true that we are reborn so many times over?” she asks the seas of her imagined island of Adan, but in her skilled hands it feels more like a rhetorical question. Of course we are, and the song – and Luminescent Creatures moreover – is the proof. – Alan Pedder

#14. Smerz – "You got time and I got money"

So often do we get a song deep in the trenches of love, but rarely is there one that captures the giddiness of that initial spark of attraction. “You got time and I got money” by Smerz feels like a drunken, tender slow dance. It sways to a dreamy, stumbling beat and shimmering violins; meanwhile, the pop duo indulges in yearning with their smokey, cool-girl crooning before erupting into breathy sighs. It’s sensual and electric, brushing against the skin with every excited moan, slide of the muted synths, and romantic fantasy. Big city life’s centerpiece is 100% bliss. – Victoria Borlando

#13. Oklou – "Blade Bird"

A nursery rhyme mourning something that hasn't even taken flight yet. "blade bird" by Oklou tucks that uneasy feeling in under a blanket of babbling synths as the track progresses. She swaddles the subject (some say her infant son, others a general beloved) in that blanket while desperately holding onto a dynamic that only exists in her mind. But love can't ever be contained, not in a cloud "that doesn't have an end" – it's impossible. It has to fly free without any expectations of coming back the same, let alone coming back at all. – Dana Badii

#12. Ethel Cain – "Nettles"

Tasked with setting the tone for the prequel to Ethel Cain’s lauded debut Preacher’s Daughter, Hayden Anhedönia reintroduces the themes that made Preacher’s so resonant with the 8-minute folk epic “Nettles”. It establishes the relationship dynamic between the record’s troubled protagonists, the titular Willoughby Tucker and the already familiar Cain. “To love me is to suffer me,” Cain cries as if it’s an indelible truth. The immediacy and all-consuming nature of teenage love is explored from every angle as pedal steel and banjo wistfully swoon atop rocky foundations blighted with addiction and abuse. – Leah Weinstein

11. Dijon – "Baby!"

The opener and title track of Dijon’s long-awaited sophomore record Baby unravels like one of those deeply personal farm-to-table stories that sit atop a banana bread recipe you found on Pinterest. But instead of banana bread, Dijon chronicles the origin story of his relationship with his wife Joanie, and the subsequent birth of their son, who may or may not actually be named Baby. It’s a sweet and touching love story set to a steady downtempo jam. Some royalty free baby’s coos and cries are sampled at the track’s bookends, grounding the listener in the nursery next to the happy new parents. – Leah Weinstein

#10. Model/Actriz – "Cinderella"

This Model/Actriz single is a perfect marriage of post-punk, industrial, and dance rock that’s equal parts invigorating and vulnerable. The brash production is tied together by an unbeatable dance groove made of thick electric high-hats and twangy guitar loops. The vocals, while haunting, provide a guiding light through the heavy atmosphere, as frontman Cole Haden expresses his traumas and desires with an emotionally wrecked timbre, weaving between the boundaries of modern-day masculinity. Whether it’s the hypnotic dance beats or the anxious atmosphere arising from the performances, the pull of this track is impenetrable. – Jordan Goodman

#9. Clipse – "Ace Trumpets"

Pusha T and Malice's comeback single as Clipse felt as if 16 years hadn't passed. The “Culturally Inappropriate” tag kicks off “Ace Trumpets”, where the two brothers flaunt their luxurious lifestyle, sometimes with a dash of humor (“Yellow diamonds look like pee-pee”), all while sticking to the same slant rhyme in their respective verses. Malice does so in a 16-bar verse, packed with quotables, double entendres, and witty references. Pusha T delivers a visually rich and infectious chorus with the intonation of a menacing narrator. And Pharrell Williams shows no signs of slowing down either: chunky synths, resonating rimshots, and a staccato guitar on the chorus to complement the Virginia Beach brothers' top-tier lyricism. – Daniel Goncalves

#8. PinkPantheress – "Stateside"

“Stateside” by PinkPantheress doesn’t waste a single second with catchy and delightful beats. It starts with nothing but a groovy bass lick, Pink’s iconic soft voice, and some cheeky yet slightly deranged lyrics. (Who among us hasn’t considered booking the same flight as a crush to force a meet-cute?) The song’s heart then pulses to a pristine breakbeat loop, which brings forth a lot of the artist’s British underground sensibilities to her ode to America. The Dare’s involvement is an added bonus, flexing some of his cleanest production yet. Overall, it’s just a powerful merging of electronic forces… and it’s pure fun! – Victoria Borlando

#7. Geese – "Au Pays Du Cocaine"

Throughout list season you’ll see each music publication take a stab at their best guess for which song off Geese’s endlessly celebrated Getting Killed is “the best” or “most representative” of the record’s achievements. Our staff landed on “Au Pays Du Cocaine”, a ballad of pure, unfettered desperation. It’s evocative from the second Emily Green’s descending guitar lick is plucked, and the emotion only intensifies as frontman Cameron Winter continues to bury himself in the shame of his pleas. “Just come home, please / I’m alright / It’s alright / It’s fine” he lies as increasingly erratic ascending piano triads and Max Bassin’s balls-to-the-wall drumming crescendo until it’s no longer possible. Many have praised Getting Killed for how it speaks to modernity, but “Au Pays” is able to ascend beyond the Zoomer box people tend to wedge Geese into. Raw disappointment is evergreen, and it makes this song a contender for becoming a true modern classic. – Leah Weinstein

#6. Rosalía (feat. Björk & Yves Tumor) – "Berghain"

During a year of formulaic pop writing, it’s crazy and awesome that a loud, avant-garde song like “Berghain” even charted, let alone become only one fraction of Rosalía’s equally ambitious, maximalist record. Here, more is thankfully more. Her one and only single off LUX, this track is a baroque German opera that weaves in art pop, Catholic mysticism, chamber music, and a chorus composed of none other than Björk and Yves Tumor. It precisely captures the turmoil of heartbreak and ambition, crying out to God and all the saints for inspiration, grace, and clarity. Divine! – Victoria Borlando

#5. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist (feat. Anderson .Paak) – "Ensalada"

“Ensalada” is a special kind of song, fueled by three artists who know each other’s strengths and still strive to outdo them. Freddie Gibbs opens it with one of his most meditative performances to date. His flow and technical precision are, of course, absurdly tight and creative, but it’s the content that makes it feel like he’s digging deeper than he usually has to.

As expected, the song returns to Gibbs’s history with trapping. What’s different this go-around is the emotional lens: he’s reckoning with the inescapable violence of it all, and the way it shaped his sense of self and left him carrying grief and regret he still hasn’t made peace with. Then there’s Anderson .Paak on the hook, bringing a typically smooth and charismatic chorus; however, it isn’t sexy nor is it hopeful. Each refrain opens with: “Help me get away from this godforsaken place I’m in.” There’s no glamor here, just exhaustion and desperation.

And tying it all together is The Alchemist’s production, expertly flipping the swirling pianos and ominous guitar lines of Octobre’s “Tende Torture” into something haunting and melodic. “Ensalada” is the highlight of Alfredo 2, but it could also stand as the apex of Gibbs’ and Al’s creative partnership. – Drew P. Simmons

#4. Water From Your Eyes – "Playing Classics"

Is there a better thrill than when an artist outfit Water From Your Eyes – in this case the avant pop who couldn’t be less interested in courting the airwaves steps up to the plate with a perfect pop song? List the ingredients on paper — an oontz-oontz house beat at its simplest, processed chunks of guitar swag, vocodered call and response — and the actual song, "Playing Classics", still can’t be pictured until you hear it for yourself; their imagination is just that far out, which makes sense when the album starts with a half-grunge, half-Stereolab tribute.

But WFYE’s calling card is that they always make their absurd pieces fit, whether it’s Rachel Brown’s historically deadpan monotone inviting us to number our shakes or Nate Amos using the quantize function to do the opposite of snapping his riffs to a grid. What’s more unlikely: that they nailed fascist-coup 2025 as a “long hard road from here to the truth”? Or that the song will make you dance? – Dan Weiss

#3. Addison Rae – "Headphones On"

Here is the Addison Rae-approved, fool-proof plan to cure your depression: light up a Marlboro, get dolled up, and put those freakin’ headphones on, baby. Works like a charm. 

Taken in isolation, no individual element of “Headphones On” feels all that poetic. Over a Bedtime Stories beat, Rae “compares her life to the new It Girl,” she wishes her parents loved each other, she thinks life isn’t as fun through clear waters. And yet, “Headphones On” feels achingly true. Perhaps its magic comes from Addison’s relaxed, breathy vocals that make each line land like a quiet self-admission.

Maybe it’s the delicate balance the song strikes between Gen-Z detachment and genuine earnestness. Most likely, it’s Rae’s belief in music itself as an agent of change, joy, and relief. She’s right there alongside us, bumping the volume on her headphones to make the day go by quicker. Depression cured. – Andy Steiner

#2. Nourished By Time – "Baby Baby"

A prevailing theme throughout Marcus Brown’s work as Nourished By Time has been the erosion of the human spirit as a working body. Everyone becomes dehumanized, empty, atomized souls. When everyone’s scurrying between gigs and focused on making rent, who has the time to fall in love? “Low on money, quite high on passion,” Brown laments on "Baby Baby", as he spirals into his manic psychedelia.

He helplessly yelps “baby baby” as feathery Miami bass hi-hats and kitschy horn stabs float past. Eventually, Brown goes silent, and the instrumental breathes; this is when it envelops you again in its escapist (yet grounded) ‘80s pastiche, and the beat keeps pulsing, with each passing “baby” growing more and more tired: his plea for intimacy is falling on deaf ears.

Despite his weathered, breathy voice, Brown is anything but defeated. The withering collapse of the American capitalist empire excites him. He doesn’t want to buy solutions and turn his brain off; he wants “a girl to cause a little civil unrest.” In this working-class apocalypse, love becomes the path forward. – Alex Peterson

#1. RXKNephew – "John Fetterman"

This is my fault and I earnestly apologize if this feels like a cop-out pick for #1. We are a serious music publication! But the passion with which I built a voting coalition around this diss track about the oafish, politically questionable junior senator from the state I currently reside in is something I cannot help but be proud of.

We are living in deeply unserious times, and it is our duty as reporters to confront things that appear unserious on the surface in good faith. Perhaps change is still possible in this country, one BBL allegation at a time.

As for the track itself, the fellas over at Chapo Trap House are to thank for its existence, commissioning RXKNephew for a respectable $500. “John Fetterman” truly highlights Neph in a way we don’t typically see. Like a good lawyer, he indicts Fetterman by asking questions he already knows the answers to. “Who the fuck you think you is? / Who the hell you thought you was?” he raps bouncily over perhaps the danciest beat in his catalogue.

During the track’s only proper verse, Neph delivers one of my favorite musical moments of the year. He comes on strong and hungry: “Tell Fetterman he could suck my dick,” only to politely retreat, slightly frightened by his own instincts. (“I take that back I don’t want him to do that.”)

Fetterman was on the ballot of the very first election I was able to vote in, and from the perspective of a thoroughly disappointed constituent, to hear a succinct and humorous takedown of the absurdity and ugliness that has marred his freshman (only?) term is nothing short of cathartic. – Leah Weinstein